had assured her that the matter would not be mentioned again. His manner for the remainder of the evening had been no less gentlemanlike and he had taken his leave of her with his usual calm friendliness, but Kitty had the uncomfortable feeling that he had withdrawn from her. It did not matter, of course: despite what he had said at the Rising Sun they were not really friends—no more than mere acquaintances—but she was disturbed to find that she did not like the thought that somehow she had disappointed him.
The depression did not lift all day, but Kitty was able to push it to the back of her mind while she accompanied her godmother on a shopping expedition and later drove in the park with Ann, who was full of excitement over the forthcoming birthday celebrations her mother had arranged.
‘Bertram is taking us north to Kirkleigh Hall the following week so this will be our last party of the Season,’ Ann told her. ‘I do hope the dry weather holds, for Mama is going to throw open the doors to the garden and hang coloured lamps from the trees. I think it will look magical, do not you? I cannot wait for you to see it. Bertram tells me that Mr Blackwood is engaged to dine out that evening so there will only be family sitting down to dinner beforehand. I am sure Mama can be persuaded to invite you and Aunt Leaconham.’
‘That will not be necessary,’ Kitty replied. ‘Garston is taking me to Somerset House that afternoon and I doubt we would be back in time.’
‘Garston?’
Kitty giggled.
‘I am afraid I rather bludgeoned him into it. It is a lecture, or more properly a debate, on slavery and I knew that Godmama would not allow me to go unattended, so I persuaded Garston to accompany me.’
‘But you will not miss our party?’ cried Ann, alarmed.
‘No, no,’ said Kitty soothingly. ‘Godmama and I will be there, I promise.’
She did not disclose to her friend that Lady Leaconham had almost collapsed in tears of despair and frustration when Kitty had told her of her determination to attend the debate.
They had been alone in the morning room when Kitty had mentioned the matter.
‘I may as well wash my hands of you now, you unnatural girl,’ Lady Leaconham had replied, falling back in her chair with her vinaigrette clutched in her hand. ‘What is Garston thinking of to agree to such a thing?’
‘He wishes to make up to me for his behaviour at the Rising Sun,’ Kitty explained patiently.
‘He would do better to make up to me by refusing to take you,’ retorted her godmother, taking another sniff of her smelling salts. ‘Oh, dear, what am I to do? Do you not realise the damage to your reputation if word of this gets out?’
‘My dear ma’am, surely there can be no harm in my attending a lecture,’ responded Kitty, amused. ‘It is at Somerset House, and perfectly respectable.’
‘On slavery!’ declared Lady Leaconham. ‘You have no business to be involving yourself in such matters.’
‘My father would not have agreed with you, ma’am,’ returned Kitty, a slight edge to her voice. ‘He considered it every man’s duty to reduce the suffering of others.’ She dropped to her knees beside her godmother’s chair. ‘Dear Godmama, you have such a good, kind nature and you were happy that we should avoid buying sugar from the plantations, were you not? You would not have done that if you did not support the abolition.’
Lady Leaconham eyed her doubtfully.
‘Far be it from me to see any poor creature suffer,’ she said, ‘but with the situation in France, the poor rising up against their masters—it makes people nervous, Kitty. Support for the abolition is fading. It is not so fashionable now.’
‘I do not support it because it is fashionable,’ retorted Kitty through gritted teeth.
‘No, of course not, my love,’ said Lady Leaconham hastily. She closed her eyes, took another sniff from the enamelled phial in her hand then sat up, sighing. ‘Well I suppose you will go, whatever I say.’
‘Yes, ma’am, unless you expressly forbid me to do so.’
Lady Leaconham softened immediately.
‘Bless you, child, I will not do that. But Garston must bring you straight back, and we will dine here quietly before going to the party. And for heaven’s sake, my love, when we are at Harworth House, do not
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